Magnetic game and magnetic game piece



Mardi 10, 1964 J. w. cHoRDAs MAGNETIC GAME AND MAGNETIC GAME PIECE FiledSept. 26, 1961 EASE-BALL 1N V EN TOR. John W. Cho/*das ATTORNEY:

United States Patent G 3,124,356 MAGNETIC GAME AND MAGNETIC GAME PIECE.lohn W. Chordas, 2812 S. Schenley, Youngstown, Ohio Filed Sept. 26,1961, Ser. No. 140,773 3 Claims. (Cl. 273-93) This invention relates agame and more particularly to a game in which a game board formed offerrous metal and a game piece including magnets is played thereon fordetermining the progress of the game.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of a game boardand a magnetic game piece in which the actions `and progress of the gameare controlled by the skillful handling of the magnetic game piece.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a magnetic gamepiece in which the skill of manipulating the game piece may be comparedto the skill of throwing a jack knife to direct the blade thereofdownwardly into the ground.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a magneticgame piece comprising an irregular shaped member equipped with permanentmagnets at several points thereon.

The game and magnetic game piece disclosed herein comprise aninteresting and attractive game which may be played by one or morepeople taking turns in manipulating the magnetic game piece on a ferrousmetal ygame board which is preferably lithographed to represent abaseball diamond. The players toss or throw the magnetic game piece inyan attempt to position it in certain desirable positions on thegameboard where magnets in the game piece hold the same in position inwhich it falls. A chart illustrates the several alternate positions inwhich the game piece may fall or land on the game board and thesepositions are keyed to the action of the game. When the game comprises asimulated baseball game the position of the game piece to achieveindicates a home run.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear `as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details o-f construction herei-nafterdescribed and claimed, it being the intention to cover all changes andmodifications of the example of the invention herein chosen for purposesof the disclosure, which do not constitute departures from the spiritand scope of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the game board.

FIGURE -2 is an enlarged plan view of the magnetic game piece.

FIGURE 3 is an end view thereof.

FIGURE 4 is an opposite end view thereof.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged view of a position indicator used on the gameboard of FIGURE l.

By referring to the drawings and FIGURE l in particular, it lwill beseen that a game board is disclosed which comprises a sheet of ferrousmetal such as steel which is lithographed or otherwise decorated topicture a desired game such -as a baseball diamond 11. The game boardmay and preferably does include pictorial representations of thebleachers 12, the outfield 13 land the dugonts 14 and 15, all as foundin a baseball stadium. The baseball diamond itself includes a home plate16, rst base 17, second base 18, third base 19 and pitchers mound 20.

The game board includes a chart 21 including instructions for playingthe game and more importantly a series of pictures representing anirregularly shaped magnetic game piece which is indicated in the chart21 by the letters A through F.

Still referring Ito FIGURE l, it Will be observed that the h.ce

game board also includes a movable register 22 which may be turned toindicate the number of outs. The game board also includes a scorekeeping section 23 `and this sect-ion may comprise removable paper scoresheets if desired.

By referring to FIGURES 2, 3 and 4 of the drawings, it will be seen thata magnetic game piece is disclosed in enlarged detail relative to thegame board. The game piece comprises an elongated body member 24 havingan angular portion 2S -at one of its ends and a right angular extension26 intermediate its ends. Sections of permanent magnetic material areattached to the game piece as follows: a large 'section of magneticmaterial 27 is attached to a ilat surface of the member 24 at a pointdirectly opposite the right angular extension 26. A somewhat smallersection of permanent magnetic material 28 is attached to the end of themember 24 closest to the right angular extension 26. A similar sizedsection of magnetic material 29 is attached to the end of the rightangular extension 26 and a somewhat smaller section of magnetic material30 is attached to the angular end portion 25 of the member 24. Detailsof the shape and arrangement of these :magnetic members may be seen byreferring to FIG- URES 3 and 4 of the drawings in conjunction with FIG-URE 2.

The magnetic material employed may comprise any suitable permanentmagnetic material a-nd one such material has been found particularlysuitable and comprises a rubber-like resin having a high percentage ofmagnetized iron particles therein which forms la somewhat yieldablesurface retaining a high degree of magnet-ic attraction. Other permanentmag-nets such as the Well known Alnico may obviously be employed.

In order to follow the game, figures of players as illustrated in FIGURE5 and indicated by the numeral 31 may be and preferably are employed.The ligures 31 are positioned on bases 32 which may be magnetic ifdesired. In playing the game, the general rules of baseball are followedinsofar as possible and the magnetic game piece is thrown or tossed sothat it turns in the air over the game board so that it lands on thegame board in la desired position. For example, if it lands with themagnetic piece 27 down and remains in position with the right angularprojection 26- perpendicular, the chart 21 indicates that the playerwalks. If the game piece lands on the magnetic pieces 29 and 3i)1 asingle results and the corresponding players piece 31 is moved to firstbase and so on through the variations possible with the game piece. Itwill be observed that when the magnetic game piece stands vertically onthe magnet 28 with the right angular projection 26 horizontally-disposed which is the most diflicult position for the game piece toassume, the resulting play is a home run. The players iigures 31 aremoved about the game board keeping track of the action, the scores areposted and the outs are counted .and a part of the register 22 moved toindicate the same. A player continues to play until he has three outswhereupon the next player proceeds to play. It should be understood thatan out is scored by the player when the game piece illustrated inFIGURES 2, 3 and 4 assumes any position other than the five scoringpositions indicated at A, B, C, D, E in the chart, and it will thereforebe understood that when a player gets three outs he loses the playerpiece to the other player or next player as the case may be.

It will be seen that a novel and entertaining game has been disclosedwith an unusual game piece which is handled in a manner requiring aconsiderable degree of skill to play and it will be recognized thatthose proficient in the game of mumblety-peg will be equally proficientin the present game.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A game of skill comprising in combination a ferrous metal game boardand a game piece comprising a rodlike member having a right angularrod-like extension inwardly from its ends, a permanent magnet aixed toeach of the end faces of said rod-like member and to the end yface ofsaid rod-like extension and to the opposite side of said rod-like memberwith respect to said right angular extension, said game board carrying arepresentation of a game to be played and said game piece arranged to bepositioned by chance on said game board in a plurality of alternatepositions.

2. The `game set `forth in claim 1 and wherein the permanent magnets areresilient.

3. A ferrous metal game board and a game piece comprising an elongatedrod-like member having a sideward i extending member thereon inwardlyfrom one end thereof and wherein the opposite end of said elongatedmember is formed on an angle to the longitudinal axis of said member andwherein resilient permanent magnets are afixed to the end faces of saidelongated member, the end face of said sidewardly extending member andto the side of said longitudinally extending member opposite saidsidewardly projecting member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,550,692 Gorman Aug. 25, 1925 1,659,468 Miller Feb. 14, 1928 2,330,951Burmester et al Oct. 5, 1943 2,562,089 Fishlove July 24, 1951

1. A GAME OF SKILL COMPRISING IN COMBINATION A FERROUS METAL GAME BOARDAND A GAME PIECE COMPRISING A RODLIKE MEMBER HAVING A RIGHT ANGULARROD-LIKE EXTENSION INWARDLY FROM ITS ENDS, A PERMANENT MAGNET AFFIXED TOEACH OF THE END FACES OF SAID ROD-LIKE MEMBER AND TO THE END FACE OFSAID ROD-LIKE EXTENSION AND TO THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF SAID ROD-LIKE MEMBERWITH RESPECT TO SAID RIGHT ANGULAR EXTENSION, SAID GAME BOARD CARRYING AREPRESENTATION OF A GAME TO BE PLAYED AND SAID GAME PIECE ARRANGED TO BEPOSITIONED BY CHANCE ON SAID GAME BOARD IN A PLURALITY OF ALTERNATEPOSITIONS.